Engine control



July 20, 1937 H. L. JOHNSON ET AL ENGINE CONTROL Filed Jan. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Advance m a m a a4 Z M 5 2w w .13 d W Hm July JQHNSON ET L ENGINE CONTROL Filed Jan. 16, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flak/270215 Loans J /02%/z5022 Ma ya Z. d/zrzsazz MAW Patented July 20, 1937 UNITED STATES ENGINE CONTROL Barry L. Johnson and Louis J. Johnson, Waukegan, 111.

Application January 16, 1933, Serial No. 651,978

1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to the speed control of an internal combustion engine and has more particular reference to the combining of the ignition and fuel feeding means for simultaneous and separate operation.

An important object of the invention is to simplify and improve the control of a motor by combining the operation of a spark timing device and a carburetor having a throttle valve.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a. clutch connection for the. throttle valve operated by the spark timing device.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of means for manually operating a throttle valve of a carburetor and for automatically operating the throttle valve when the spark timing device is operated.

- A still further object of the invention is in the provision of an improved stop motion clutch in connection with a carburetor throttle valve to provide for releasing and re-engaging the throttle valve at predetermined times during the movement of other engine cont-rolling means.

Other objects of the invention will appear here- 5 inafter, the preferred embodiment of the invention being illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of an internal combustion engine embodying the in- 30 vention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with the magneto fly wheel in section;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the carburetor; and

3.3 Fig. 5 is a detail view of the carburetor construction.

This invention is applicable to any internal combustion engine and is more particularly described in connection with the power plant of an 40 outboard engine in which there is a spark timing device and a carburetor. In starting such an engine a fixed position is given to the ignition device and to the control lever of the fuel feeding device or carburetor; the engine crank shaft is 45 then rotated by means of a rope starter or other means and the engine is supposed to continue operation in a normal manner and to be controlled by advancing or retarding the spark and by manipulating the throttle of the carburetor.

50 It is particularly difficult to properly actuate both of these speed controlling devices accurately and promptly in an outboard engine, particularly when the boat to which it is applied is in rough water. The present invention is therefore de- 55 signed and intended to provide a simple co-ordinated control for both the ignition device and the carburetor throttle valve which is easily actuated by moving a convenient and accessible lever.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a conventional outboard motor power plant is shown comprising an engine it], crank case H to which a carburetor I2 is connected, a fuel tank l3 connected with the carburetor by a supply pipe [4 having a control valve l5 therein. Par- 10 tially extending into a recess l6 of the fuel tank is a fly wheel magneto having an outer casing ll rotatable with the engine shaft l8 which shaft carries a notched starter plate l9 at its upper end above the magneto. 15

To advance and retard the ignition spark for the engine, there is a plate 20 movable freely about the shaft I8 and located within the casing II. This plate carries an ignition timing device comprising a. relatively fixed contact 2| and a 2 pivoted breaker arm 22, one end of which has a projection 23 adapted to engage a cam 24 on the engine shaft It! for interrupting the ignition circuit for the engine. To vary the point of operation of the ignition breaker, the plate 20 is set in 25 different positions by means of a lever or handle 25, thus causing the spark to be advanced or retarded and producing a corresponding well known variation in operation of the engine.

The carburetor l2 has a float chamber 26, to which the fuel is admitted from the fuel tank I3, through the pipe I4, and adjacent the fuel chamber is a. casing 21 within which is a throttle valve 28 for varying the supply of fuel which is drawn from the carburetor. This valve 28 is rotatable upon opposite shaft extensions 29 and 30 which extend through the bottom and top 3| of the casing 21.

Connected to one of the shaft extensions 30 is a throttle arm 32 adjustably secured thereto by a set screw 33 and having a projection 34 adapted to engage either one of the adjustable s;t screws 35 or 36 positioned in outward projections 31 of the cover 3|. Thus the movement of the arm 32 will move the throttle valve 28 in any position between the limits of the set screws 35 and 36.

The above described structures are the conventional forms now employed in outboard motors and to co-ordinate their movement and operation the plate 20 of the ignition device is provided with 0 a projection 4| and an operating arm 42 is mounted upon the shaft extension 29 of the carbureter which are connected by a link 43. As their movements are not exactly in line a ball projection 44 is mounted at the end of arm 42,

the projection 4| being similar thereto and the conneoters 45 are adjustable at the ends of th link 43 for producing universal joints.

The arm 42 is rotatable upon the shaft extension 29 of the curvature, but is not rigidly at tached thereto, a flexible connection being provided therewith by means of a collar 46 secured to the extension by a pin 4'! extending therethrough and located at a distance from the bottom of the casing 21 so that the arm 42 and its bearing extension 48 may slide along the shaft extension 29 but is normally pressed in the direction of the collar 46 by a spring 49 partially surrounding the extension 48. In the collar 45 there is a recess 50 for receiving a clutch ball and in the arm 42 is a seating recess 52 for receiving the ball 5! in a predetermined position.

This structure provides for a lost motion connection between the arm 42 and the throttle valve 28 and the arm is so positioned that when the throttle arm 32 engages one of its limiting set screws 35, or 36; the continued movement of the spark timing device by the handle 25 will cause a further movement of the arm 42 without any movement of the valve 28. This is efiected by means of the clutch ball 5| which holds the arm 42 and the collar 4'6, which is attached to the throttle valve yieldingly together during the full range of movement of the throttle valve but permits the arm 42 to swing away from the collar 46 against the pressure of spring 49 thereby unseating the clutch ball 5| from the recess 50 of the collar 46 when the arm 42 is moved beyond the path of movement of the throttle valve. The ignition control device, may therefore be moved to retard the spark even after the throttle is in its minimum opening or limiting stop position. In the other direction of movement of the ignition control lever from its spark retarding position, the arm 42 is moved a predetermined distance before the clutch ball 5| is again engaged with the recess 50 thereby connecting the arm 42 to the throttle valve extension 29 for correspondingly operating the throttle.

We claim:

In an outboard motor, in combination, an internal combustion engine, an ignition timing device having a movable plate with an extending handle, a fuel feeding device having a control valve rotatable therein, a shaft projecting from the fuel feeding device upon which the valve is mounted, means at one end of the shaft for limiting the rotative movement of the valve, a spring i pressed arm rotatable on the shaft, a resilient clutch connection between the shaft and the arm, and a link connecting the outer end of the arm and the movable timing part so that the movement of the handle of the timing part will cause a corresponding movement of the valve throughout a part of the movement of the arm, the arm and the timing plate being released from connection with the valve when the arm is moved beyond the limit of movement of the valve.

LOUIS J. JOHNSON. HARRY L. JOHNSON. 

